NVL Reports – Six points Docklands

With the second round of the women’s Shield competition and a good number of national league fixtures, it was a busy weekend for London clubs and one with increased precautions in the deepening Coronavirus crisis as well as some long journeys.

On Saturday in the NVL  Richmond Docklands stopped off their trip up the A1 for the first of two away games in the Men’s Super League to play against Leeds and proved themselves the stronger in a close and entertaining match winning in three sets, their opponents never scoring fewer than twenty points in a set.

It all started very well for Richmond Bucks in the Men’s First Division after travelling to Chelmsford to play Essex Blaze. Two close sets but both won in confident style. Then a determined fight back by the home side took one set and then another. Character now was essential and the London visitors showed it in depth to triumph 12:15 in the deciding set. Blaze remain top of the divisional table but have played two more games than Richmond who move into second place and, with only one loss this season, are just two points behind.

In the Women’s Super League Darkstar Derbyshire recorded their first league win of the season beating visitors Inter Orcas in four sets. It had all started well for the Londoners after a long time on the motorway as they won the opening set relatively comfortably but their hosts played well to shade the two following sets and then never really looked in danger as they won the fourth. 

Malory Eagles were at home to an unbeaten Durham side and battled resolutely to spoil the record, winning the first set and then recovering to tie the scores again by winning a thrilling fourth set 25:22 and to threaten throughout the deciding set only to go down 12:15.

Dartford Chargers’ season in the Women’s First Division has not started well but they will be relatively pleased with the way they played despite losing in four sets to Coventry & Warwick, taking the third set after threatening in the 25:27 second.

In a long five set match in the Women’s Second Division in Dorking, Ashcombe beat Giants to maintain their solid start to the season, the visitors having taken a closely contested first set only to lose the next two and winning the fourth, all with little between the sides. Inexplicably, however, the Londoners seemed to lose their way and the deciding set finished all too quickly.

After travelling still further north, in Sunderland on Sunday Richmond Docklands continued their superb start to the Men’s Super League season overcoming Sunderland in straight sets. Docklands go top of the table, albeit largely because they have played twice as many games as the unbeaten IBB Polonia while pushing the home side into the bottom half. 

The two remaining unbeaten sides in the Women’s Super League met in Ealing and in a match of fluctuating fortune that stretched to five sets and despite a disastrous 14:25 second set, London’s Polonia SideOut triumphed over Durham, 

Travelling to Oxford to challenge an unbeaten Oxford  in the Women’s First Division, Dartford Chargers found their opposition all too powerful but will be pleased with the way they challenged the favourites in the second set.

Dartford travelled to Ashcome for a triangular series of Women’s Third Division matches with Rhinos coming from Cambridge to face Sussex Dolphins. It was the home side’s first outing of the season and they began very well forcing Warriors to 29:31 and winning the second set before the south-east London club took the next two sets.

Rhinos, however, were just too good and, despite winning the third set, Dartford went down to defeat for the fifth time in the six league games they have played so far.

There were three matches featuring London teams in the Men’s second round of the Volleyball England Shield on Saturday and the results mean that a quarter of the sides in the next round will be from London.

AVC beat Cambridge at home in a close match in which the London club always seemed to have the edge despite dropping a close third set.  In the next round they will be away to Rhinos or Leicester who play on 11th.

Onyx’s visitors, Worthing arrived late so forfeiting the first set but proceeded to shock their hosts by winning the next two. A vital coaching lecture followed and the side managed to take the match and with it the chance to play in the next round. They will be away to Guildford who beat Watford in four sets.

The Royal Navy and Wapping Wildcats had a tense scrap with the East London side prevailing in four close sets to earn a third round test away against Aces who beat Chelmsford on Thursday 25:14 25:21 25:23.

Two London clubs were involved on Sunday in the Women’s Shield second round and both were victorious meaning that two of the eight quarter-finalists will be from the capital. Away in Northampton, Bears’ second team got better and better as they disposed of their hosts.

Meanwhile in Wimbledon, Wildkats overcame strong Invicta resistance to earn a trip to Portsmouth to challenge Unibond for a place in the semi-finals.

NVL Results

Saturday, 4th December

Men’s Super League

Leeds lost to Richmond Docklands, 19:25 20:25 21:25

Men’s First Division

Essex Blaze lost to Richmond Bucks, 21:25 21:25 25:21 25:20 12:15

Women’s Super League

Darkstar Derbyshire beat Inter Orcas, 17:25 25:22 25:21 25:17

Malory Eagles lost Durham, 25:21 25:27 15:25 25:22 12:15

Women’s First Division

Dartford Chargers lost to Coventry & Warwick, 17:25 27:29 25:20 16:25

Women’s Second Division

Ashcombe Dorking beat Giants, 23:25 25:19 25:22 23:25 15:7

Sunday 5th December

Men’s Super League

Sunderland lost to Richmond Docklands, 18:25 18:25 19:25 

Women’s Super League

Polonia SideOut beat Durham, 25:22 14:25 23:25 25:11 15:10

Women’s First Division

Oxford beat Dartford Chargers, 25:14 25:19 25:14

Women’s Third Division

Sussex Dolphins lost to Dartford Warriors, 29:31 25:17 12:25 13:25

Rhinos beat Dartford Warriors, 25:21 25:17 15:25 25:21

Volleyball England Shield Results

Men’s Second round

Saturday, 4th December

Cambridge lost to AVC, 19:25 25:27 25:18 17:25

Onyx beat Worthing, 25:0 16:25 21:25 25:21 15:11

Royal Navy lost to Wapping Wildcats, 20:25 25:20 21:25 21:25

Women’s Second round

Sunday 5th December

Northampton lost to Bears 2, 23:25 18:25 16:25

Wimbledon Wildkats beat Invicta, 25:15 25:20 25:21

Contributor, Douglas Barr-Hamilton

Source: Volleyball England website